Title: The Price of Peace
Summary: Post-game. Another night, another nightmare.
Another sunset, another night. Another night, another nightmare. He'd always wake from them, yelling, screaming and crying. His mother and sister would always be there to comfort him but it was never enough. They would never understand what he went through.
Even when he finally told his father about his nightmares (because maybe he had hoped this would make it all better – and after all, Ness was still just a human, a kid, one who had feared his father reprimanding him for even having fears to begin with), they still remained, as terrifying and intense as before.
It was as though some higher power was laughing at his achievement, as though saving the world wasn't enough. And although they had all been in the Devil's Machine together, Paula never had a single nightmare after the incident. Poo told him he just needed time to adjust. He couldn't even get in touch with Jeff. The other three would never experience the fear and loneliness Ness still had trapped within him again, never have horrible vivid nightmares where Pokey gripped him tightly by the throat, feeing him to an abomination that defied nature. And then of course, the ones where Giygas would dwarf him, speaking to him, screaming 'NESS' so many times that his ears would be ringing when he sat bolt upright, soaked in his own sweat and tears.
But he had to be brave, be the one smiling and beaming with pride as he walked down Onett's roads, be the one people marked as their hero for a long, long time to come.
He wondered how long he could continue being that hero.
END